Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

"I win!"

(Claire and Macy's standard exclamation after walking down the stairs/getting dressed/finishing a meal)

"It's not a contest!"

(my standard response especially to a meal-eating race)

I had been wondering, where do they get this competitiveness from? Is it because Claire's in school now? I certainly don't pit them against one another. And Bob might be the least competitive person I know.

I remember being so competitive with my brother. I thought it was because he was so into sports and had a competitive personality and that we were 14 months apart in age.

I am beginning to think it's some genetic survival mechanism. We are just competitive people, and I created more competitive babies.

I came to this last night when I stepped out for a quick run and was walking with this internal dialogue:

"None of my music is suitable for running"

"Just run. Nicole, you're stalling!"

"I can't start to Jack Johnson. It will just set the tone for a slow run"

"There's not enough daylight left to be so picky, you have already skipped 10 songs"

"Why is this song even on here? It is offering me every slow, sucky song on here"

[Lady runs across the block perpendicular to me]

"You could run faster to Cat Stevens than that lady. And she's skinnier than you, unfair."

"Cat Stevens it is!"

Then, I ran to catch and pass the lady. She had headphones on and didn't hear me coming. There were cars on the street, so I couldn't cross to the other side or get around her. I was stuck behind her going slower than I wanted and thinking this was so not good for my karma. She probably just started running or had a baby. I eventually was able to cross the street and run off ahead. Then, I thought, geez, that lady didn't even hear or see me. I could have been a mugger or a rapist. So, then I was paranoid I should be on high alert for muggers and rapists (though, there's probably no black market for cracked iPods). Or, in the very least, being competitive makes you less aware of what's going on around you and is a bit obsessive.

And that, most certainly, the girls get their competitiveness from me.